--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are beckoned to see the world through…" description: "\"We are beckoned to see the world through a one-way mirror, as if we are threatened and innocent and the rest of humanity is threatening, or wretched, o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf9/john-pilger-10261_expendables_we-are-beckoned-to-see-the-world-through_2163239.jpg" --- # We are beckoned to see the world through a one-way mirror… ![“We are beckoned to see the world through a one-way mirror, as if we are threatened and innocent and the rest of humanity is threatening, or wretched, or expendable. Our memory is struggling to rescue the truth that human rights were not handed down as privileges from a parliament, or a boardroom…” quote by John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf9/john-pilger-10261_expendables_we-are-beckoned-to-see-the-world-through_2163239.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf9/john-pilger-10261_expendables_we-are-beckoned-to-see-the-world-through_2163239.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf9/john-pilger-10261_expendables_we-are-beckoned-to-see-the-world-through_2163239.jpg) > “We are beckoned to see the world through a one-way mirror, as if we are threatened and innocent and the rest of humanity is threatening, or wretched, or expendable. Our memory is struggling to rescue the truth that human rights were not handed down as privileges from a parliament, or a boardroom, or an institution, but that peace is only possible with justice and with information that gives us the power to act justly.” [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human rights arise from justice and informed action, not from granted privileges, and societies must confront threats to truth and humanity. **In simple terms:** Rights need justice and information, not privileges. Key Takeaway Seek truth, act justly. Themes human rights justice information power societal threat Mood concerned determined Type political activist When to use this quote - activism - policy advocacy - education - media literacy Key Concepts social contract ethical responsibility collective memory Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals ensure information empowers just action? - What structures protect truth from being threatened? A Different Perspective Rights can be ignored without vigilant public pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Expendables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expendables/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Parliament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parliament/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Young black men are considered dangerous, expendable, threatening and part of a culture of criminality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/young-black-men-are-considered-dangerous-expendable-threatening-and/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [To me, an economy that sees the life of a community or a place as expendable, and reckons its value only in terms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-me-an-economy-that-sees-the-life-of-a-community-or-a-place-as/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [From the very depth of my being, I challenge the right of any man or any group of men, in business or in government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-reid/from-the-very-depth-of-my-being-i-challenge-the-right-of-any-man-or/) [Jimmy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-reid/) > [Use and respond to the initial fresh qualities but consider them absolutely expendable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diebenkorn/use-and-respond-to-the-initial-fresh-qualities-but-consider-them/) [Richard Diebenkorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diebenkorn/) > [It's better to have fewer things of quality than too much expendable junk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zoe/it-s-better-to-have-fewer-things-of-quality-than-too-much-expendable/) [Rachel Zoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zoe/) > [Any ensemble - they didn't call it "the all-male Expendables," for example. But it's Hollywood's fault that people say that, because there have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/any-ensemble-they-didn-t-call-it-the-all-male-expendables-for-example/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [Freedom and democracy, That's the word from Washington every day. Put America to sleep with warm milk and clichés, And people are expendable along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/freedom-and-democracy-that-s-the-word-from-washington-every-day-put/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Men are expendable; women and children are not. A tribe or a nation can lose a high percentage of its men and still pick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/men-are-expendable-women-and-children-are-not-a-tribe-or-a-nation-can/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Gays have rights, lesbians have rights, men have rights, women have rights, even animals have rights. How many of us have to die before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-st-laurent/gays-have-rights-lesbians-have-rights-men-have-rights-women-have/) Octavia St. Laurent > [Progressives and Islamists are indeed on the same side. Their common disdain for Christianity explains why left-wing judges in America find any inkling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/progressives-and-islamists-are-indeed-on-the-same-side-their-common/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [We're all expendable. We think the world's going to stop when a pope dies, or a king. And then... life goes on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/we-re-all-expendable-we-think-the-world-s-going-to-stop-when-a-pope/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [The military is such a hierarchical institution. It's an institution where, if you are assaulted by a person senior to you, you're probably the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-ann-reid/the-military-is-such-a-hierarchical-institution-it-s-an-institution/) [Joy-Ann Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-ann-reid/) > [Women are dirt searchers; their greatest worth is irradicating rings on collars and tables. Never mind real-estate boards' corruption and racism, here's your soapsuds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/women-are-dirt-searchers-their-greatest-worth-is-irradicating-rings/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [Humans - whatever billions we are - we don't have the control. We are considered expendable, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/humans-whatever-billions-we-are-we-don-t-have-the-control-we-are/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [I became a physician in order to help save lives. I am at once a physician, a citizen, and a woman, and I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mildred-fay-jefferson/i-became-a-physician-in-order-to-help-save-lives-i-am-at-once-a/) Mildred Fay Jefferson ## More by John Pilger > [“Many journalists now are no more than channelers and echoers of what George Orwell called the 'official truth'. They simply cipher and transmit lies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/many-journalists-now-are-no-more-than-channelers-and-echoers-of-what/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Israel is the American watchdog in the Middle East, and that's why the Palestinians remain victims of one of the longest military occupations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/israel-is-the-american-watchdog-in-the-middle-east-and-that-s-why-the/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [In the sublime days before 11 September 2001, when the powerful were routinely attacking and terrorising the weak, and those dying were black or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/in-the-sublime-days-before-11-september-2001-when-the-powerful-were/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Vietnam was as much a laboratory experiment as a war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/vietnam-was-as-much-a-laboratory-experiment-as-a-war/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Certainly, until there is justice for the Palestinians, there will never be any kind of stability in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/certainly-until-there-is-justice-for-the-palestinians-there-will/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Bill Clinton persuaded some people that he was really a civilized character and his Administration had the best interests of humanity at heart. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/bill-clinton-persuaded-some-people-that-he-was-really-a-civilized/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Israel is the American watchdog in the Middle East, and that's why the Palestinians remain victims of one of the longest military occupations. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/israel-is-the-american-watchdog-in-the-middle-east-and-that-s-why-the-2/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [The censorship is such on television in the U.S. that films like mine don't stand a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/the-censorship-is-such-on-television-in-the-u-s-that-films-like-mine/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Since September 11, the Mirror has reached back to its roots, and decided, it seems, to be something of its old self again. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/since-september-11-the-mirror-has-reached-back-to-its-roots-and/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Private Manning is the world's pre-eminent prisoner of conscience, having remained true to the Nuremberg principle that every soldier has the right to 'a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/private-manning-is-the-world-s-pre-eminent-prisoner-of-conscience/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [The Mirror has become an important antidote to a media that is, most of it, supportive of the establishment, some of it quite rabidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/the-mirror-has-become-an-important-antidote-to-a-media-that-is-most/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [In Western Australia, minerals are being dug up from Aboriginal land and shipped to China for a profit of a billion dollars a week.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/in-western-australia-minerals-are-being-dug-up-from-aboriginal-land/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Two increasing themes which appear to dominate our listening, reading and watching lives are propaganda and 'national security', or manufactured war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/two-increasing-themes-which-appear-to-dominate-our-listening-reading/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [In these surreal days, there is one truth. Nothing justified the killing of innocent people in America last week and nothing justifies the killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/in-these-surreal-days-there-is-one-truth-nothing-justified-the/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Orwell is almost our litmus test. Some of his satirical writing looks like reality these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/orwell-is-almost-our-litmus-test-some-of-his-satirical-writing-looks/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) [Explore all 67 John Pilger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) ## More Expendables quotes > [I became a physician in order to help save lives. I am at once a physician, a citizen, and a woman, and I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mildred-fay-jefferson/i-became-a-physician-in-order-to-help-save-lives-i-am-at-once-a/) Mildred Fay Jefferson > [Humans - whatever billions we are - we don't have the control. We are considered expendable, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/humans-whatever-billions-we-are-we-don-t-have-the-control-we-are/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Women are dirt searchers; their greatest worth is irradicating rings on collars and tables. Never mind real-estate boards' corruption and racism, here's your soapsuds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/women-are-dirt-searchers-their-greatest-worth-is-irradicating-rings/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [The military is such a hierarchical institution. It's an institution where, if you are assaulted by a person senior to you, you're probably the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-ann-reid/the-military-is-such-a-hierarchical-institution-it-s-an-institution/) [Joy-Ann Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-ann-reid/) > [We're all expendable. We think the world's going to stop when a pope dies, or a king. And then... life goes on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/we-re-all-expendable-we-think-the-world-s-going-to-stop-when-a-pope/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Progressives and Islamists are indeed on the same side. Their common disdain for Christianity explains why left-wing judges in America find any inkling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/progressives-and-islamists-are-indeed-on-the-same-side-their-common/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [Gays have rights, lesbians have rights, men have rights, women have rights, even animals have rights. How many of us have to die before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-st-laurent/gays-have-rights-lesbians-have-rights-men-have-rights-women-have/) Octavia St. Laurent > [Men are expendable; women and children are not. A tribe or a nation can lose a high percentage of its men and still pick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/men-are-expendable-women-and-children-are-not-a-tribe-or-a-nation-can/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Freedom and democracy, That's the word from Washington every day. Put America to sleep with warm milk and clichés, And people are expendable along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/freedom-and-democracy-that-s-the-word-from-washington-every-day-put/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Any ensemble - they didn't call it "the all-male Expendables," for example. But it's Hollywood's fault that people say that, because there have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/any-ensemble-they-didn-t-call-it-the-all-male-expendables-for-example/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [It's better to have fewer things of quality than too much expendable junk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zoe/it-s-better-to-have-fewer-things-of-quality-than-too-much-expendable/) [Rachel Zoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zoe/) > [Use and respond to the initial fresh qualities but consider them absolutely expendable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diebenkorn/use-and-respond-to-the-initial-fresh-qualities-but-consider-them/) [Richard Diebenkorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diebenkorn/) > [From the very depth of my being, I challenge the right of any man or any group of men, in business or in government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-reid/from-the-very-depth-of-my-being-i-challenge-the-right-of-any-man-or/) [Jimmy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-reid/) > [To me, an economy that sees the life of a community or a place as expendable, and reckons its value only in terms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-me-an-economy-that-sees-the-life-of-a-community-or-a-place-as/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Education in a technological world of replaceable and expendable parts is neuter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/education-in-a-technological-world-of-replaceable-and-expendable/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) [Browse all 34 Expendables quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expendables/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are beckoned to see the world through a one-way mirror, as if we are threatened and innocent and the rest of humanity is threatening, or wretched, or expendable. 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